Spectacled bears — the only bear native to South America — face habitat loss in the wild and welfare challenges in captivity. Understanding their specific needs guides better zoo management and conservation priorities.
Spectacled bear welfare in zoos requires attention to this species' unique ecology and behavioral needs. As largely solitary, wide-ranging foragers, spectacled bears in captivity face the familiar challenge of meeting their behavioral needs in environments that are a tiny fraction of their natural range. Their primarily herbivorous diet requires creative enrichment to replicate the time budget spent foraging in wild conditions. Pacing stereotypies are common in facilities with barren enclosures and predictable feeding schedules. The relatively small captive population makes each individual welfare outcome significant from both an individual and conservation genetics perspective. Progressive facilities are implementing dynamic enrichment programs that create unpredictable food locations and varied substrates, producing dramatic improvements in behavioral diversity and reduction in stereotypic behaviors.